


Compromise

by PaperhatsAndEvilSchemes



Series: Paperhat? I'm Down For That [10]
Category: Villainous (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, M/M, NSFW, Paperhat - Freeform, demencia was fun to write here, ghfdfhjk, kind of a roller coaster, mentions of abuse, theres smut, very angsty, villainsfw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-07 14:13:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14672775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaperhatsAndEvilSchemes/pseuds/PaperhatsAndEvilSchemes
Summary: Okay, soooo… a lot happens in this one since I threw a few smaller fics in with it lmao… to sum it up as best I can (not necessarily in the following order), Flug gets BH to try sleeping (i blame emily for that), we learn more about that ‘summoner’ bullshit BH talked about forever ago,  //coughs awkwardly// there's some bad smut, your usual dose of angst and murder, Dem and 5.0.5. ’learn some things’, and Flug’s school days are talked about. Fun! //shot//





	Compromise

**Author's Note:**

> is there such thing as writing too much
> 
> if there is, i’m a prime example
> 
> NOW EXCUSE ME WHILE I JUST GO NOT WRITE SMUT EVER AGAIN (ORFORLIKE5FICSASDGHFJKHGF)
> 
> OH, ALSO, I HAD AN IDEA – SEX BITS WILL NOW BEGIN AND END WITH A **~ ~ ~** RATHER THAN THE USUAL ————- JUST SO YALL KNOW
> 
>  
> 
> Author can be more easily reached and posts updates more frequently on their tumblr: https://paperhats-and-evil-schemes.tumblr.com/

“Did somebody beat you up? Who was it? Why didn’t you kill 'em?  _I'll_ kill 'em if you don’t!”

The prank she had planned long forgotten, Demencia had basically been interrogating Flug since she had spotted the bruises on his arms. 

“D-Demencia, I said it’s f- _fine!_ ” Flug insisted, scrambling to get his lab coat back on and cursing himself for taking it off in the first place. Granted, he hadn’t exactly  _expected_ her to suddenly drop down from the ceiling, but of  _course_ she would pick today of all days to be hiding in his room to start some sort of mischief. He would have  _preferred_ dealing with one of her crazy jokes than get stuck in  _this_ conversation… “It’s nothing serious! Don't  _worry_ about it!”

Skeptical eyes narrowing as the lizard hybrid leaned closer, Demencia rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “That right? What happened, then?”

“…. Uhh….” Flug’s gaze darted around the room as he tried to come up with an excuse, “Ahh… hm, well… you see, I waaasss…. walking….”

“….. Uh-huh.”

“Aaand…. I, uh… tripped?”

“You….  _tripped_.” Demencia’s eyes only squinted more. 

What a weak-ass excuse. For a genius, Flug sure couldn’t get himself to come up with something more  _believable_. Under Demencia’s prying stare, he only got increasingly more nervous, staying quiet as she considered his words. Lightning strike him dead if he were to keep talking and screw himself over even  _more_. Oh he has  _so messed up–_

“Well, next time don’t be such a  _klutz_!” Demencia said finally, giving her coworker a teasing prod to the ribs. “You think you’d know how to  _walk normal_ by now!”

Oh thank fucking  _god_. Somebody should give this guy a medal for his achievement not to wheeze in relief in the face of Demencia not looking any further into it. “Ahahahahahaha, yeah, w-will do…" 

”…… Can you get out of my room now?“

"Pshh.  _Fiiiiine_.” Demencia drawled with a roll of the eyes. “I’ve lost my element of surprise anyway…” However, it didn’t take long at all for a look of mischief to return to her face. “Oooo, I’ll go see what  _Black Hat’s_  up to! I got a special shade of lipstick that would look  _great_ on his face~”

Comments like that, Flug grew used to making himself brush off, but that didn’t stop him from finding them  _aggravating_ … He rolled his eyes back at her, albeit more subtly, and huffed, “Something tells me he won't  _appreciate_ tha–”

“Don’t care, nerd!” She was already out the door before Flug could even finish.

 _Of course_. He rolled his eyes again, locking the door behind her after a miffed grunt, and proceeded to flop onto his bed with a tired  _whumf_.

————

“I take it this is about Demencia.”

Black Hat was  _trying_ not to be amused by this, but the overdramatic 'Uuuugggghhhhh’ he got in confirmation from the man pacing across from him only cracked the demon up more.

“I can't  _stand_ her sometimes!” Flug exclaimed, hands thrown up in exasperation. He’d waited until he was sure Demencia had gone to bed before joining their boss in his room, but 'out of sight, out of mind’ was not applying to him tonight, it seemed. "I don’t even want to  _estimate_ the number of times I’ve told her to stay out of my room!“

"I’m surprised you’re this worked up. From the sounds of it, she hadn’t done anything particularly bothersome compared to how she  _usually_ is.” Black said in response. His expression contorted for a moment into something a little more annoyed for a second, however. “Although, she  _was_ quite clingy today.”

“ _Uuuuugh_ …..” Flug muttered again, pinching the bridge of his nose. “She is  _relentless_! I don’t think she'll  _ever_ get the hint to just  _back off_!”

“ _Ooooh_ , I see!” Black Hat cracked a grin that damn near looked like it should break his face. “This isn’t about her breaking into your  _room,_ now is it~? _”_

Squinting goggles glared his way. “ _You_ shut up, mister.”

Like  _that_ was going to happen. Black Hat snickered nefariously, gliding to his doctor’s side and sweeping his arms around him. “You're  _adorable_ when you’re being possessive.” He teased.

“ _Shush!_ ” Flug snapped again. He looked away, muttering, "We’re just lucky the bruises were all she noticed… I think 5.0.5.’s already got us figured out, the last thing we need is  _her_ knowing.“

"Hmm…. Perhaps…." 

One of demon's hands at Flug’s side moved up to the neck of his coat, slipping the fabric off his shoulders and letting it drop to the floor. His arms now unveiled, Black Hat could admire some of the cloudy sea of deep blues and violets splashed across his skin, embellished by light bite marks here and there. Most of the deeper ones were under the rest of Flug's clothes, so it makes sense that Demencia didn’t catch that particular detail.

”… You’re sure I wasn’t too rough with you yesterday?“ Black Hat asked as he lightly traced over some of the marks with his claws.

"Oh,  _very_ sure.” Flug confirmed, casting him a quick smirk. “I  _like_ it rough.”

Well… It’s true that Flug  _did_ seem to enjoy rougher sex more than either of them thought he would. They had taken it slow, of course, but he’s been ready to escalate to more intense acts faster than expected. 

If he says he’s fine, he’s probably fine… Satisfied with the answer, Black Hat let out a quiet purr and kissed Flug’s neck, to which the doctor chuckled softly in response.

"Well, anyway… I’m definitely going to upgrade all my locking systems again, asap….”

“Ahh, the struggles of living with a master of infiltration, hmm?” Black teased, kissing his bag again, “Save it for tomorrow. You’re supposed to be  _sleeping_ at this time of night.”

“Don’t wanna.” The doctor huffed, flopping against his partner. “Give me your no-sleep powers.”

“Ha. You wish.” Black Hat started steering the tired Flug towards his bed. “You need to replenish your energy.”

“Well, so do you!”

“I don’t need to sleep to do that.”

“You also don’t need food to nourish yourself, but you eat that anyways.” Flug pointed out. "Have you ever  _tried_ sleeping?“

"Well… No.”

“Would you ever be  _interested_ in trying?” The curious doctor asked, “Who knows, it might end up being an even  _better_ way for you to replenish energy.”

“I do just fine without it!" Black Hat snorted, crossing his arms. "What’s so great about sleeping, anyways? You’re just unconscious for hours at a time!” With a click of the tongue, he added, “Not only could you be doing more  _useful_ things, but that’s just  _begging_ for people to come attack you!”

Flug couldn’t help but giggle. “Sir, most people don’t really have a  _choice_ in the matter… The majority of people, villains and heroes alike, need sleep, and most of them manage just fine.”

“ _Still_ one of the easiest states to attack people in. Why should I needlessly partake in something that dumb?”

Rolling his eyes in good humor, Flug drifted to his partner’s side, rubbing against him affectionately, “Because it’s something you’ve never tried before? You might  _like_ it? Hmmm?" He playfully wiggled his eyebrow. "You  _do_ like trying new things. Besides, to  _you_ , what’s a little risk?”

…… He makes a good point.

“I’m still not convinced….” The demon’s eyes flickered with skepticism. “It seems boring.”

“Oh come on, you old grump, try entertaining the idea just this once.” Flug raised an eyebrow, sitting back down on the bed and patting the area of mattress next to him giving a smile. “Even if it’s  _really_  as  _dreadful_  as you think, at least you can say you’ve  _done_  it, right?”

One of Black’s brows quirked in return. Yet another good point made by his fine doctor. With a needlessly dramatic roll of the eyes, he finally succumbed to the idea, joining Flug’s side. The doctor, having almost achieved his goal, grinned wider. He laid the eldritch down and pulled up some blankets as they both got comfortable.

“So you just…. lay here?”

“Mm-hm.” Flug replied, nestling up to Black Hat. “Close your eyes.”

Black Hat complied.

Things were quiet. For a bit.

“… How long is this going to take?”

“Depends on the person. Some drift off faster than others.”

“Hrmm….”

Again, the room was quiet.

Again, that didn’t last long.

“…….. I just don’t get what the big deal is about basically dropping dead for a third of your life. What kind of evolutionary advantage is  _that?_  Could your species really not come up with any more  _sensible_  alternatives to regenerate?”

Flug chuckled softly. It was adorable how the simplest of human things that Black Hat  _normally_  would be able to understand suddenly seemed like solving a riddle when he applied them to himself. “You can’t fall asleep very well if you’re talking, sir.”

“Just saying.” The demon added under his breath before shutting his mouth.

Another moment of silence went by. Key word:  _Moment_.

“This puts a very bland twist on the saying ‘sleep with me’.”

Goodness, he’s like a restless child, isn’t he? “Sleep is one of the many simple joys of life, you know.”

“Oh, really?” Black Hat quipped back with a smirk, “Then why do you always seem to go out of your way to get as little as humanely possible all the time? You were just asking me for 'no-sleep powers’, need I remind you-”

“Shhh, you shouldn’t be talking!” Flug snickered,  _expertly_  dodging the question, “Go to sleep!”

“See, now you know how _I_  feel trying to get  _you_  to sleep!” Black Hat laughed back. But still, he complied once more to a stretch of silence, shifting slightly beneath the covers to get the both of them more comfortable. That familiar sound of silence crept its way back into the room, this time seeming to stay.

“…. Sleep well, Flug.”

“You too, Black Hat.”

-

-

-

Remarkable. Not a word out of him for almost an hour now.

Heavy as his drowsy eyes may have been, Flug made himself open them to get a glimpse at the figure next to him.

He… actually looked rather peaceful. His breath rose and fell from his body in slow, steady intervals, his usually very expressive face having fallen to a calm, serene state that came with that lack of consciousness…

Well now we know he  _can_  sleep. That’s one question answered.

Very carefully, the doctor adjusted his position beneath the blankets, nuzzling in closer to his resting partner. No reaction from Black Hat, thankfully. Getting him to fall asleep a second time would’ve been a hassle.

With a content sigh, Flug’s eyelids fell closed once more, and he drifted off to join the eldritch in that tranquil sea of sleep.

———–

…… What was that noise…?

Flug awoke to the sound of… perhaps some type of low growling? It sounded almost like  _words_ ….?

He groggily shifted beneath the sheets to look at Black Hat, confused. The eldritch still appeared to be sleeping, but far less peacefully than Flug last remembered. His partner’s body gave small twitches, every other breath sounding like mumbled words of a language unfamiliar to Flug… Definitely seemed to be dreaming…? What would he be dreaming about?

"Black Hat?” He spoke softly, getting no response aside from another sleepy twitch. Flug slowly sat up, a slight frown on his face. It’s just a dream, right? It’s his first time sleeping, after all, dreams often come with sleep, but…

A little concerned, Flug reached over and placed a hand on Black Hat’s arm. “Sir, you-”

He couldn’t have possibly pulled his hand away quicker, almost falling off the bed in shock when a fanged maw immediately formed where Flug touched him, snapping vicious jaws and hissing threateningly. Other parts of Black’s body started to contort as well, the demon’s incoherent mumbles sounding more distressed by the second.

'Fight or flight’ combined with an intense dose of worry told Flug to wake him up right the fuck now. Heart pounding too hard in his head to let him think clearly, he grabbed his pillow and smacked Black Hat as hard as he could with it. “ _Wake up!!!_ ”

The sudden force certainly jarred him awake, but whether or not that was a  _good_ thing was debatable. 

In a state of hysteria, the eldritch shot back, stumbling out of the bed in a snarling mass of frantic tentacles and circle saws. Eyes formed all over, darting around furiously as if trying to make sense of things. He hissed and growled,  _full_ of hostility.

“ _Black Hat!_ ” Flug called out desperately, “What are you _doing!?_ Nothing’s wrong! _Please,_ Black Hat, _calm down!_ ”

 _Excruciatingly_ slowly, the eyes finally seemed to recognize their surroundings, the extra appendages’s hectic movements calming down to a stop. “This is…” Black’s voice blurred, looking around, “Where- I wasn't  _here_ –”

“Your  _room_ …?” Flug spoke up hesitantly, clearing his throat, “You’ve-You’ve been here the whole  _time_ , sir….”

“But I  _wasn't **here**!_  I was-!” He grabbed his head as a tired, frustrated growl left him. “What the  _hell_ just…!?”

Slowly starting to get off the bed, Flug kept a worried and… honestly curious eye on his boss. “I… think you just had a nightmare….?” Those words felt so strange coming out of his mouth. A being of nightmares  _having_ a nightmare? What kind of a dream would that even  _be_?

Black Hat gave Flug an equally bewildered look. " _That’s_  what a nightmare is like?“

"Well, you… you  _know_ what a nightmare is…” Flug frowned, gradually moving closer to his boss. “W-Where did you think you were…?”

 _“It doesn’t matter.”_  Black Hat stepped back in turn, growling. “Nightmare,  _me_ -  _Ha_.” He scoffed, “I  _refuse_ to believe that- This is  _stupid_ –”

“Sir…?”

“ _Don’t give me that look!_ ” The demon snapped, “ _This was **nothing** , understand!?_”

“Black-!” Flug tried to call him back, but his boss took utmost haste in getting the hell out of there. 

With a frustrated sigh, Flug clutched his head in his hands, leaning back against the headboard. “Fuck…”

————

This is a household full of cruel, ruthless villains. Why do things keep happening that make them feel so goddamn  _guilty?_

Flug sighed heavily, movements unusually sluggish as he worked on rewiring one of the Hatbots. A typically simple job, and 5.0.5. knew it. Something was  _very_ obviously off. 

He just couldn’t get that night out of his mind. Felt  _responsible_ for upsetting Black Hat like that. He should’ve just left the sleep thing alone-

“Brrowr!" 

"Huh?” Flug looked up to see his big blue creation staring down at him with an odd pout on his face. “Something wrong, Five…?”

5.0.5. pointed in the direction of Black Hat’s office, huffing. “Grurr!”

“… Uhh….” Frowning, Flug went back to fiddling with Hatbot’s mechanisms. “I don’t think he wants to see me right now.”

At that, 5.0.5. made another big huffing noise, then scooped his creator up into his arms.

“Wh- Hey! 5.0.5., put me down!”

Why sure dad, just after you talk to other dad and get your shit together.

Is what he was probably thinking.

Black Hat looked just as puzzled as Flug did when the bear suddenly burst through the doors, plopped Flug on the ground, and then leave again like it was nothing.

“…. Morning.” Black Hat greeted, quirking an eyebrow. “What was  _that_ about?”

“Ehh, just… 5.0.5. being 5.0.5., I guess….” Flug replied awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. He had a feeling he knew what it was about… 5.0.5. is very perceptive, after all. The scientist glanced over to Black Hat, who had been reading his morning paper as usual. He… seemed to be doing better than before, but… an apology still felt like it was in order. “Hey, Black Hat…?”

“Yes?” The demon replied, not looking up from his paper again.

“I’m… I’m sorry about last night…” Flug sighed, staring off to the side. “I shouldn’t have pushed you so much to try sleeping… I honestly didn’t even consider nightmares as a  _possibility_ …”

When he looked back to his boss, Flug saw the eldritch staring right at him, deadpanned expression.

“I need to make something clear to you.” He said, voice cold, “I was  _not scared_. Understand? What that was about was  _not_ fear.”

“…. What was it about then…?”

“Hrmph…” Flipping the page of his paper, he snorted. “… Anger, mostly.”

“Anger, sir…?” He couldn’t help but be confused.

“I do not wish to discuss it.”

“A-Ah… Alright. Sorry, sir… ” Looking around awkwardly, Flug started to go. “I, uh, should get back to work…" 

”….. Flug.“ Black Hat called, stopping him from leaving for a moment. When the doctor looked back, Black’s expression was a little more confused and frustrated than before. "These… 'nightmares’…..”

He trailed off. Flug almost felt hopeful for a moment that he would open up a bit.

“….. Never mind. You’re excused.”

“I…. Yes, sir….”

**~ ~ ~**

Was this going too far?

Flug cried out in a mix of pain and ecstasy as Black’s teeth plunged into his shoulder, animalistic snarls rumbling in the creature’s throat at the squirming mess of a scientist he had pinned. Tentacles held Flug down, each appendage wielding a fierce mouth of their own, fanged restraints pressing his wrists above his head as Black Hat’s claws and mouth felt every inch of him.

This was a lot, even for him… but he  _was_ the one who told Black Hat to go harder this time.

Loud moans shook Flug's body at each pounding thrust from the demon, stimulating his insides in all the right ways. He could swear he saw stars in his vision. Another harsh growl from Black Hat sent shivers down his spine, hot breath leaving his lungs at a faster pace than he could replenish it. Black’s claws dragged across his chest, hand pausing to toy with his sensitive nipples and getting him squirming even more. Flug winced as the sharp restraints around his hands and legs dug deeper into his flesh as he struggled.

Was he just still feeling guilty about the nightmare thing? Does Flug actually think this is some strange way to repay him?

Clutching the eldritch tightly, Flug gave another outcry as smaller tentacles pumped his dick hard in time with Black Hat’s fierce thrusts, his vision blurring at this point, but not before he got a good look at that feral look in Black Hat’s eye. He squeezed his own eyes shut, whimpering and gasping at every touch. The teeth, the tentacles, Black’s movements inside him, it was becoming so hard to process. He couldn’t even differentiate between pleasure and pain at this point. Flug kept his eyes shut for a long time, his tense body just wanting to curl in on itself now.

Is he too  _scared_ to say no? He doesn't  _feel_ scared, but…

…. Wait… Why doesn’t he feel movement anymore…? When did  _that_ stop? 

“Is something wrong…?" Flug mumbled, slowly opening his eyes and meeting the gaze of a concerned Black Hat staring down at him. His hand was underneath Flug’s bag, feeling a deep bite wound that was left by… Flug. When had he bitten his lip like that? It was bleeding pretty heavily to not notice…. Black Hat must’ve seen it dripping down his chin and neck. "Oh…”

“Flug.” Black Hat said, voice low and serious, “There is a safe word for a  _reason_.”

Roughness from before completely replaced with cautionary gentleness, the demon helped Flug sit up - oh man, he had one  _hell_ of a head rush–

“I was fine…” Said the doctor, holding a hand to his woozy head.

“I asked if you were okay and you did not respond  _at all_ until  _just now_.”

….. Oh….

The demon sighed, removing his coat and draping it around Flug before sitting next to him and gently putting an arm around his shoulder. Flug leaned into him, clearing his throat awkwardly. “Sorry….”

Black Hat made a small noise acknowledging the apology, sighing again. “You can say  _no_ to me, Flug. You  _do_ know that, right?”

“I know, I just-” With a sigh of his own, Flug shrunk down slightly. “I don’t want to  _disappoint_ you, or-”

“Stop right there.” Black Hat cut him off, turning to him and lifting his chin so they were making eye contact. “Flug,  _you are more important to me than sex_ , don’t you  _get_ that?” He said firmly, full of sincerity. “Do not  _ever_ think you have to-”

Black cut himself off when he saw Flug was starting to cry. “Wait, why are you-? Did I say something  _wrong_ -? I didn’t–”

Weak as his arms were right now, he wrapped them tightly around Black Hat, sobbing. “I know, Black Hat, I know, I j-just–T-Thank you– H-Hearing that is s-so–” For some reason, Flug just couldn’t vocalize this.

Black Hat looked confused. “You’re… welcome? Why are you thanking me for basic sexual etiquette…? You’re supposed to be more familiar with this stuff than  _I_  am.”

“I kn-know, I’m sorry…” Flug quickly said, rubbing his eyes. He let out an awkward laugh. “I’m a b-bit of a mess…. Sorry…..”

“… That’s alright?” Black hat replied, starting to get a little concerned on top of the confusion. He was definitely starting to feel like there was some piece here he was missing. What odd behavior…

“…. I’d better get cleaned up….” Flug said, stretching a bit with a slight wince.

A change of topic…. Very well…. Black Hat was getting too confused anyway… He stood up, helping Flug stand as well. “I’ll help you.”

**~ ~ ~**

Flug’s no stranger to nightmares. Black Hat knows this. But he’s been having far, far less than he used to since they got together.

But they still happen.

Why Black Hat had been feeling the need to wander the halls tonight, specifically making routine passes at Flug’s door, he wasn’t too sure. Probably had something to do with earlier… something just felt odd…. But when Black Hat heard the soft crying from his room at about the third or fourth pass tonight, he felt a strange twist within him.

He knew it must have been a nightmare. Flug’s had them lots. Tells Black Hat it’s nothing to worry about, that he’d prefer to just be left alone should Black Hat ever overhear one… but…. now that he’s had  _experience_ in this area?

With a sigh, the demon knocked on the door. “Flug?”

“Black Hat…!” Flug rushed to wipe the tears from his face, straightening his back so that he was sitting up rather than in that hunched over ball he had been in a second ago. “W-What are you doing…?”

“… Are you okay?”

“Uh….” Looking down, Flug swallowed a lump in his throat, trying to keep the sniffing quiet. “Yeah… Yeah, I’m fine, don’t worry about it…”

The voice at the other side of the door was quiet for a bit, then spoke again. “Would you like to join me? My bed’s more comfortable.”

Flug blinked, confused. He… then considered it for a few moments… “Actually… yeah, that… that would be great.”

-

Honestly, Flug was surprised Black was okay to doing this again so quickly. He had seemed a little apprehensive of beds for a little while there….

Feeling the demon brush his fingers through his hair, hearing his slow breathing…. It was definitely better than being alone with his thoughts…

“…. Black Hat…?” Flug murmured tiredly.

“Hm?" 

"Have you really never been like this with anyone else…?”

“You know the answer to that.” Black replied simply, nestling his head against Flug’s hair. “… How about you?”

Flug opened his mouth to say 'no’… but that…. wouldn’t be entirely true…

“…. Twice.” Came the quiet answer. 

Black Hat’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Oh?” With a joking grin, he purred, “Anyone I should be  _jealous_ of?”

“Oh,  _definitely_ not."  Flug laughed weakly back. "They weren’t, um… the best of relationships…”

At those words, a flicker of concern sparked within Black Hat. “… What do you mean by that?”

Flug bit his tongue. “… I, um….” Another tired sigh left his mouth, and he pressed closer to Black Hat. “I’d… rather not talk about it… I’m sorry….”

“…. …. ….” Taking a deep breath of his own, he wrapped an arm around the scientist. “Very well.”

“Just sleep..”

**~ ~ ~**

“You seem like you’re in the need of a quick  _break_.”

Flug wasn’t sure if his boss was being particularly affectionate today because of recent events or not, but he was very much into it. Black Hat had him pressed up against a wall, kisses and gentle nips being trailed up the scientist’s shoulder and neck, hands wandering his torso and leaving tingling sensations all over his body. Flug was  _supposed_ to be working, but that’s out the window now I guess.

“Come on, Black Hat,” Flug breathed, giving his partner a scolding stare. “You know that sex in a laboratory is a bad idea…”

“I'm  _full_ of bad ideas.” Black Hat smirked deviously, but still, he did pause. “Do you really want me to stop?”

“… No.” Flug admitted. Hard to say otherwise with all the delighted little shivers Black Hat was sending up his spine. His eyes closed, breath quickening at the demon’s knowing, gravelly chuckle against the skin of his neck, then him continuing to lick and nip it. Flug leaned as much as he could into the other’s touch, but him being pressed against a wall and all, there wasn’t much room for that anyways.

The eldritch slipped Flug’s pants down, his scientist making the most  _delicious_ noise when Black’s hand went into his boxers next. "So  _eager_ …“ Black Hat murmured again, pulling those down too just a bit. 

"Says you…” Flug snickered, wrapping his arms around the other’s neck, pulling him closer so that their faces were almost touching. “ _You’re_  the one who came in here all ready to pull my pants off.”

“Touché.” Black grinned back, pulling a glove off his hand with his teeth, letting it drop to the floor before coating his hand in thick saliva with his tongue. Black Hat delighted in the soft little gasp he got from the doctor when he brushed his fingers along the underside of his shaft. He stroked up and down with that delicate, light touch a few times over, getting Flug quite worked up already. 

As he went on to fully grip Flug’s dick, hand moving up and down the full length slowly, Black Hat went back to affectionately kissing his partner’s neck, using his free hand to lift the paper bag up enough to kiss at his mouth and jawline as well. Feeling Flug’s grip around his neck tighten, along with hearing his low moans and heavy breathing, was bliss.

“Black…” Flug’s breathy voice murmured, shuddering with pleasure as he felt his boss’s fingers stroke every part of his dick. 

Seeing that Flug was close, Black Hat focused his attention to pleasing his partner’s sensitive tip, stroking and massaging the skin until he eventually released, spilling out with some sort of hybrid of a squeak and a gasp. 

“Better?” Black Hat snickered, wiping some of the cum off his clothes. He’d have to clean that off.

“Oh, shush…” Flug huffed, covering himself with his clothes again. “Now we have to get changed. Are you proud of yourself for costing me valuable lab time?”

“Oh no, what a  _bother_!” His boss laughed, picking his glove up from off the ground, licking his hand before sticking it back on.

“You should really wash your hands before doing that, you disgusting devil.”

“You  _like_ disgusting.” Black Hat purred back smugly, leaning in for another kiss. Flug rolled his eyes, but gave a good-humored chuckle.

Staring down at his beautiful scientist, Black Hat suddenly felt a strange confusion within him. Who on earth would be lucky enough to have this man and let the relationship fail? And it not only happened once but  _twice_? Wondering what happened between these past lovers of his are going to bother the  _hell_ out of him…

_CRASH!_

Flug nearly jumped right out of his skin when a chunk of air vent caved in, Black Hat whipping around as well and sticking an arm out in front of his employee defensively.

Oh  _god_ , how Flug had  _wished_ it had been some hero or enemy villain, but to his horror, there stood Demencia, dusty from sneaking around in the vents (probably to get around Flug’s new-and-improved locks), expression completely blank as she stared awkwardly at the two. You could  _hear_ the gears turning loudly in her head as she tried to process all this information, but _holy shit._  That was enough to give anybody a mental stall.

They were all very very  _very_ quiet.

“…… Uhh…..” Demencia finally spoke up, pointing out the lab door. “…. 5.0.5. made breakfast….”

**~ ~ ~**

Well this is uncomfortable.

Demencia eyed the pair at different ends of the table from her, trying to keep each sip from her swirly-straw-in-a-pop-can as quiet as possible. Black Hat flipped through today’s newspaper as if nothing was amiss. Flug stared down at the table, body entirely stiff and, from the looks of that shade of red only getting redder on his neck, still  _very_ ruffled.

“….. Ssssoooo…..” Demencia drawled between slurps, eyeing both men from across the table. How Black Hat was playing this off so casually was beyond her, and judging from how intensely awkward and flustered Flug still looked, beyond the scientist as well. “How long have the two of you been, uh, a thing?”

“Oh… Uuuhhh….” Flug mumbled, shifting slightly in his seat and growing discomfort evident in his tone, “Y-You know…. Two…. well, almost three, uh….” His voice trailed off to an intelligible mumble, to which Demencia squinted and took another large sip of soda as she waited for him to spit it out.

Three  _what_? Weeks?  _Months?_

Black Hat gave a curt nod as he turned another page, seemingly oblivious to the tension so thick you’d need a  _chainsaw_ to cut it. “It’ll be three years this June.”

Looks like she was the one who ended up spitting it out. Her drink, anyway.

Flug expected such a reaction, shielding his bag with his arms. Black Hat, on the other hand, glared at her, his now-damp newspaper stained purple with the sugary beverage, and that’s not to mention the drops that got on his clothes. “ _Seriously_ , Demencia?”

“ _Three years???_ ” She repeated in shock after coughing and hacking out the remainder of soda in her windpipe, “ _Years!?_  As in _twelve month time spans!?_  Three times???  _Thirty-six months?????_ ”

“Yes. That is what three years means.” Her boss responded flatly, not exactly 'blown away’ by her ability to use basic math to rephrase the same damn question. 

“Oh my  _god!_ Why didn’t anyone tell me!?” She turned  to 5.0.5., aghast, “Did  _you_ know about this!?”

“Broo?" The bear gave an awkward smile and looked around before gesturing to himself in feigned confusion. Who,  _me_?

” _Oh my **god,** you  **totally** knew!!!_“ The hybrid exclaimed. She whipped her attention right back to her coworker and boss. "Why didn’t you  _tell_ me!? Do you  _realize_ how much  _wingmanning_ I could’ve been doing for you doorknobs!?”

“I–” Flug blinked at her, suddenly struck with confusion. “Wait, what?  _Wingmanning?_ ”

“Now I have to catch up on  _three whole years_  of relationship! So much lost time to make up for! This is  _unbelievable_!” With squinted eyes, Demencia pointed a finger at the doctor. “ _You owe me so many details you have no **idea**._ ”

Okay,  _completely_ not the kind of reaction he was expecting… “Uhh… You’re not… upset?”

“ _Of course I’m upset!_  Not about you getting  _together_ , but  _you got together without telling me!!!”_  She snapped back immediately.

 _“I thought you would’ve tried to kill me!”_  Flug retorted in an attempted defense, at which Demencia’s eyes went wide.

“Oh come on, what kind of an idiot do you take me for!? I couldn’t get away with that even if I  _wanted_ to when you’re dating fucking  _Black Hat,_  Flug!”

“I have _literally seen you bludgeon people to death for merely looking at him the wrong way!_ ”

“Okay _, for the record–_ ”

 ** _“Will you two shut up!?”_**  Black Hat finally cut in, looking up from the paper he hadn’t been able to focus on over the bickering to glare at them.  _“You sound like bloody **children**!”_

At that, both of them quickly corrected themselves. "Sorry, sir…!“ Flug squeaked, Demencia following suit. The scientist went back to picking away at his eggs, and Demencia to slurping her drink, but the lizard still eyed Flug from her spot.

"You still owe me details though, just so you know!” She made sure to tell him. “I have a  _million_ questions! Like, how’d you two even get together, huh?”

Now it was Black Hat’s turn to choke on his drink, though for sake of not acid-burning his employees to death, he managed not to spew it out everywhere and instead forced himself to swallow it. Flug looked away awkwardly.

“Uh. Is that a sensitive topic or something?” Demencia asked, confused by their reactions.

“I’ve got some phone calls I need to make.” Their boss said suddenly, wasting no time in getting up and heading out of there.

Understandably so, Demencia gave Flug an even more confused look. “What did I say?”

"Ah, well, it was just…. um…. there were some… mixed signals at first….” Flug explained, locking his fingers together. “I’m not… I’m not sure how much I should say.”

Well, great. Now Demencia has to deal with that burning curiosity for,  _like_ , ever. She squinted hard, considering prying further. Hmmm…

Welll…. It’s not the end of the world if she misses one question… But she does get the feeling a topic change is in order. 

“….. So how’s the sex?" 

” _Demencia!_ “

"I’m kidding, I’m kidding!” She laughed, taking pleasure in the deep blush that adorned his face again. Her own face got a little more sincere for a second, however. “Seriously though, I’m really bummed you kept this from me.”

Flug rolled his eyes at her bad joke before looking away. “I know, I know… I just didn’t think you needed to know…”

“That's  _kiiiind_ of a  _huge_ thing that you assumed I 'didn’t need to know’.” The hybrid said flatly, toying with the straw in her empty cup. “Yeesh, I hope  _you guys_  haven’t been keeping stuff like that from each other. I  _just_ learned you guys are a thing, you better not be messing it up with shitty communication skills after all  _that_!”

Flug must have looked very dumbfounded, because Demencia suddenly narrowed her eyes to slits at him. Just by the look on his face she could tell she hit the nail on the head with something.

Standing up and taking her trash, Demencia spoke, “Well, I’ve got some shit to destroy. Maybe you should think a while about not telling your only friends about important shit.” With that, the ball of green floof was on her way.

Oh man…. if only she knew how ironic all this timing was.

-

-

-

“You look like there’s something on your mind.”

Newspaper set aside, Black Hat turned his full attention to the scientist that had entered his office. 

It’s funny. For someone who had just spent all of last night and this morning rehearsing what he was going to say, he sure was drawing a massive blank. For the first time in quite a while, Flug found himself looking down at his anxiously fiddling hands. A dead giveaway that he had something he wanted to say, but…

This is a  _joke_ … How could he  _still_ be nervous talking to Black Hat after how close they’ve gotten? 

“… It’s just…. I-I wanted to, um… say sorry to you…”

Confused, Black Hat tilted his head. “For?”

Flug swallowed nervously. "….. I’ve been expecting you to be open with  _me_ when I haven’t been open with  _you_ ….“

”… Flug…“ Even if the curiosity  _was_ killing him, Black Hat knew he maybe probably  _definitely_ shouldn’t pry… "You know, it's not a problem if there are things about your past relationships you don’t want to tell me–" 

"I  _want_ to tell you!” Flug cut him off, making eye contact for a second before looking down again. “It’s just…  _difficult_ ….”

Leaning forward with his hands folded in front of his face, Black Hat eyed Flug carefully. “And why is that?”

Good question. Flug wished he could say he didn’t know, but he knew exactly what the answers were. He looked away, voice soft. “… I… I don’t want you to think lesser of me…”

“What?” Black Hat sounded genuinely surprised. “Why would I think  _less_ of you?”

When Flug next opened his mouth, no words came out. He just… looked down and shuffled his feet a bit.

Expression softening, Black Hat got up from his own seat and beckoned for Flug to follow him to the couch. 

“You’d have to try really bloody hard to get me to think less of you at this point, Flug.” Black Hat stated as the doctor sat next to him, still avoiding eye contact.

Flug hated how dry his mouth felt, how sick to the stomach he was, how he was  _still_ thinking Black Hat will judge him… god, he doesn’t want to lose Black Hat over stupid past mistakes…

“…. Just… The f-first one’s not so bad, but I j-just… The second one is… J-Just p-please hear me out all the way till the end…. ”

“Of course.” Black reassured him.

Taking a deep breath, Flug leaned back, staring at the ceiling and wondering where the hell to begin. “…. Okay… um…. W-Well, my first partner was back in high school…. Her name was S-Summer.”

“A girl?" 

Flug nodded in confirmation. "This was back when I hadn’t really…. figured myself out yet….” Swallowing a lump in his throat, he continued, “Summer was kind of… infamous for going after 'smart’ guys so that she could get them to basically do her homework for her? Occasionally some friends too… it was just a weird thing she did.”

“When she tried going after me, I was… confused, at first? You know, being the weird kid that covers his face all the time and doesn’t talk to anybody doesn’t usually get one of the popular girls trying to flirt with him… I was hesitant, thought it was some type of prank at first, but as she became more persistent, I realized she was serious.”

“I didn’t mind the idea, honestly, even after catching on that she mostly was just wanting me for my intelligence. Even then, I didn’t mind. I saw it as a symbiotic relationship - before I got with her, the other students kind of saw me as an easy target for… anything, really… but for as long as I was with her, people left me alone almost altogether. She was pretty high up in the social food chain, I guess. But the extra work she had me do still saved me way more time in the long run, since I didn’t have to worry about taking longer routes home to avoid classmates or have anyone try to stick my work into toilets.”

“Hrm… Your high school sounds full of brats…” Black Hat mumbled, “I’m surprised you weren’t homeschooled, honestly, all things considered with your bloody  _mother_.”

“Haha… She was, um, too busy for that…. I didn’t meet Summer till after she died, anyway.”

“I see…” The demon nodded slowly, then tilted his head in confusion. “So, I don’t get it. If you were both benefiting from the relationship, what went wrong?”

Flug tried not to tremble. Again, he opened his mouth but had trouble getting the words out. Shaking his head, he sighed, “S-Sorry… This shouldn’t still be so h-hard to talk ab-bout…”

“There’s no rush.” Black Hat assured him. “We can stay here all day, if you need.”

Flashing him a grateful smile first, Flug went back to staring at the ceiling, taking another deep breath. “… Well, her and I, we, um…. we would have sex sometimes… y-you know, as teenagers do…. but I-I had trouble being… well…  _attracted_ to her. I did care for her, but not… like that…? So it was just…. difficult….” Shifting slightly in his seat, he went on, “I… tried to explain it to her, but she would get mad, say things like I thought she was  _ugly_ , or…” Shaking his head and sighing, Flug looked down at his hands. 

Black Hat watched him quietly. Movements slow, he shuffled a bit closer to Flug, placing a hand on one of his.

Again, Flug smiled briefly at him, intertwining his fingers with the demon’s as he looked down again. “A-Anyway… I eventually just… couldn’t handle doing everything I was doing for her anymore, so I… I had to call it off.” His grip on Black Hat tightened. “She…. was not happy…. Started spreading some nasty rumors, the harassment from other students got way worse, and…. I-I can’t remember exactly what she told her new boyfriend, but I think he accused me of assaulting her…? M-My memory from that one’s kind of blurry, he knocked me unconscious that day….”

Flug felt Black Hat press against him, growling lowly. “Fucking brats…”

All Flug could do was shrug slightly. He didn’t have much else to say on that one…

…. It was the next one that had him worried. Already he could feel his anxiety rising….

Black Hat seemed to pick up on it, rubbing small circles against Flug’s skin with his hand. "And your second partner….?“

Flug huddled in on himself, trying to force himself to hold it together.  "P-Please d-d-don’t be m-mad at m-me….!”

Blinking slowly, Black Hat tilted his head again, puzzled. "Why would I be mad….?“

"H-H-He was a h- _hero_ –” Flug choked, curling up smaller and looking away shamefully. 

“A  _what?_ ” Black repeated, eyebrows shot up in shock. When he felt Flug starting to tremble, he quickly followed up with, “I’m not  _mad_ , Flug, I just– I’m…  _surprised_.” To put it lightly. “Heroes don’t strike me as… your  _type_ ….”

“They're  _not_ , they absolutely are  _not_ …” Flug grimaced, trembling worse, “I d-don’t kn-know why I was s-so  _stupid_ ….!”

Black Hat wrapped his free arm around Flug to try and comfort him…. If he was being honest,  _he_ didn’t know why Flug would do something so stupid either… but hell, he can’t say that out loud right now, can he. “Who was it, Flug?”

Huddling against his boss, he wiped at his eyes and tried to calm himself down enough to talk. “….. Y-You’ve probably heard of the hero c-called Star C-Cluster?”

“Of course. How could I not? The anomalous hero with half a–”

…. Oh.

“…. half a soul…” Flug finished quietly, knowing the realization’s probably kicked in. “He told the m-media that he got the wound vanquishing some kind of monster….” He laughed bitterly, muttering, “I wasn’t about to c-correct him anytime soon…”

“Tell me what happened, Flug.” Black Hat murmured, lightly pulling Flug closer to him.

He had to take a few moments to again calm himself. “Look, I-I’ve always wanted to be a villain,  _always_. I’d never have considered dating a  _hero_ of all things…. b-but he… He saved my life…" 

"I was still in college, trying to take control of a fighter plane that had been scheduled for a test flight so I could salvage it for parts… I was d-disguised as one of the testers, but, well… a fight had broken out between some villains and heroes nearby, and we got caught in the crossfire… Our plane went down, to put it simply… But Star Cluster- w-well, his real name is Nimbus Andromeida- h-he has spacial distortion capabilities, right…? He only managed to grab one of us out from the inside, and it happened to be me…. T-To make a long story short, he insisted on seeing me the next day to make sure I was alright, we ended up grabbing dinner, and it just… went on from there….” There was a weak chuckle from the doctor. “Always called me 'Plane Crash’ as an ironic nickname….”

“I knew heroes were incompatible with someone like me, I really did, I  _knew_ it wouldn’t work in the long run, but h-he was just… so… I don’t know how to put it….  _magnetic_? I j-just wanted to be  _around_ him, he made me feel  _loved_ ….” Flug’s voice dropped to barely even a whisper. "I didn’t know what that felt like before.“

”… I-I should have s-seen the red flags when he pressured me to move in right away… At the time, I thought it was logical, b-because I was barely scraping by on my own…“ Sucking in a sharp breath, Flug’s muscles tensed, ”… H-He wasn’t as great to be around as I first thought…. He was v-very alcoholic….. often came home completely wasted… That, c-coupled with the fact that he was actually…  _very_ angry and manipulative by nature didn’t… make a good c-combination….“ Flug subconsciously rubbed his arm. Black Hat’s grip on him tensed, and when Flug looked over, he saw a look of anger on his boss’s face, but also… a bit of confusion. "S-Sorry… Did you have a, uh, q-question…?”

He looked to be heavily debating on whether he should ask or not. Opening his mouth, then closing it again, frowning. “….. I’m sorry… I don’t understand….” He looked at Flug with puzzled eyes, struggling to make sense of this. “Why did you  _stay_ …?”

“…. Haha…. T-That’s a good q-question….” The scientist started to shake again, knowing he was probably going to end up in tears anyway despite how much he wanted to fight it. “H-He w-would tell me he was s-sorry… 'I didn’t mean to, Flug’… 'It won’t happen again, that’s not the real me, you know I l-love y-y-ou’-"Flug choked on a sob, shaking his head, "I was such an  _idiot_ …!" He took a shuddering breath, trying to smile for a second, "Y-You know h-how some people say that i-insanit-ty’s trying th-the same thing over and o-over and expecting different results…?" 

"Oh, Flug….” Black Hat said softly, holding him close and letting him cry against his chest. “Shh…”

Flug gripped his coat tightly, cursing himself for being so goddamn  _pathetic_. After some mental scolding, he forced himself to get it together, taking deep breaths and rubbing his eyes, groaning in annoyance at himself. “Sorry…”

“Don’t be.” The demon said calmly, lightly rubbing Flug’s shoulder. “… If I may inquire, how did you end up getting away from him? The bite…?”

“Oh… u-uh…” Fuck, his heart was racing now. Deep breaths, Flug, deep breaths…. "The… T-The night I left…. He r….. H-He ra….“ 

…. Flug couldn’t even say it…. He kept trying to take a deep, normal breath to try again, but his lungs were not co-operating, putting out shaky, weak breaths instead. 

Upon noticing this, Black Hat went back to gently rubbing his scientist’s arm as an attempted show of comfort. "Take your time…”

There’s really no rush… got to remember that.

Actually managing to take a deep breath this time, Flug took a different approach of explaining. “…. It had…. It had been a bad night for him…. P-Probably struck out a few times at the bar - I’m pretty sure he liked to pick up other guys there in his spare time… but a-anyway…"  Fingers locking and unlocking with unease, Flug took another shallower breath. "H-He was drunk,  _reeked_  of alcohol…. I-It’s kind of a b-blur now, how it all h-happened, b-but h-he… He told me to g-get undr-dressed… a-and…. I-I was scared of w-what he’d d-do if I said n-no, so I…. I…..”

Fuck, he was trailing off.  _Fuck_ , he was crying again. 

He once more felt Black Hat’s grip tighten slightly. The demon was shaking slightly himself, though from rage instead. Despite this, he kept stroking Flug’s arm gently. 

The scientist was basically tripping on his words at this point, but he’s already gotten this far, so fuck it, he’s finishing. “I-I-I t-tried to just p-put up w-with it, b-but it h-hurt s-so m-m-much– I-I b-b-begged him t-to st-stop, but h-he–” Flug shuddered at the memory, tears streaming down his face. “I-I wasn’t t-trying t-to  _kill_ him, I j-just wanted h-him to st-stop-! I p-panicked and b-bit him- God, he screamed s-so l- _loud_ – I-I just  _ran_ , I just–!”

“Shhh…” Black Hat murmured again as the scientist broke down in his arms, forming a protective little cove around him with his body. What would be something okay for him to even  _say_ right now…?

Rather than saying the wrong thing, Black Hat said nothing at all. Just being there for him seemed to be helpful in and of itself…

So they sat like that for god knows how long, until Flug had calmed down somewhat. After the crying faded away, they sat together in silence for some time.

“…. I’m so sorry, Flug….” Black Hat whispered, voice suddenly heavy with shame.

Flug glanced up at him, knowing  _exactly_ what he was talking about. “I’ve already forgiven you for that, Black Hat…”

“You know that I would never do that to you, right…?” The demon asked quietly, "The only time you’ve ever said no to me was when I failed to  _listen_ … I don’t want you to think that you can’t set boundaries with me, Flug. You know I wouldn't  _force_ you to-?“

"I know, Black Hat.” Flug reassured him. It was always so  _strange_ to hear Black Hat sound that… ashamed. Such a strange thought that he’d still been feeling  _guilty_ about it. Black Hat and 'feeling guilty’ don’t go together. "You could do b-basically anything you w-want to me and I wouldn’t be able to stop you…. b-but you don’t. And I love you more for it.“

"Does that scare you?” Black Hat went on, frowning deeper, "That I could do whatever I want to you and you wouldn’t be able to stop me?“

"Hmm… No…. If you  _really_ wanted to hurt me like that, you’d have done it by now, right?” Flug smiled up at him, giving his face a gentle caress with the back of his hand. “I know I’m safe with you, Black hat. I trust you. You don’t need to worry about that.”

The eldritch leaned into Flug’s touch, purring softly. Aside from that purr, they let themselves fall into silence once more.

“…. I suppose it would only be fair exchange for me to explain that nightmare to you now, hmm.” Black spoke up after some time.

“…. You don’t have to….” Flug whispered, tracing a finger along Black Hat’s arm. “It’s just… you’re always there for me to talk to with these sorts of things. I wish I could do the same for you more….”

Hmm….

“…. I will tell you. But you may find it confusing.”

Flug looked up, eyes filled with surprise and curiosity. “Really?”

“Yes. But you need to understand that I was  _not scared_. This isn't that 'tragic backstory that turned me evil’ fuckery. I have  _always_ been evil. I have  _never_ been  _scared_. Is that clear?" 

"Of course, sir. You don’t strike me as the 'tragic backstory’ type, anyway.” Flug smiled slightly, then recalled their last conversation about this. "You said you weren’t scared, you were… how did you put it? Angry?“

”…. You could say that….“ The eldritch sighed, drumming his fingers along Flug’s arm. "You see, in that… 'nightmare’…. I thought I was back on the planet I’d first been summoned on.”

Oh shit. Flug would  _kill_ for a notepad right now. He's  _finally_ getting to hear more about this whole 'summoner’ business oh my  _god_ –

“By human standards, one might have called this planet 'quaint’. It was far behind the technological advances Earth has made by now-” Black Hat suddenly snickered. “-of course, Earth wasn’t even a spec in the cosmos back when  _that_ planet was still kicking… Geplestea, I believe it was called.”

“You  _believe_?” Flug chuckled.

“Oh,  _excuse me_ , let’s see  _you_ try to remember stupid names for things from billions of years ago.” Black Hat teased, flicking Flug’s bag in the nose area.

Squeaking at the flick, Flug giggled, “Okay okay, fair enough. Please, go on!”

“Pfft. Very well." The demon picked up from where he left off. "As I was saying, while they may not have been anywhere near as advanced technologically as Earth is now, they had a special class of Geplesteans that gave their species an edge in the magical arts. Most notable was their ability to summon creatures of my kind, for we were the most powerful thing imaginable to them. They used us for basically whatever they wanted, but mostly for wicked deeds such as getting revenge.”

“Is that what you were used for?”

“Oh, sure. That, among many other things. I was what you might call a… 'popular’ choice to go for.” Flug might’ve thought of that being a humble brag if not for the grimace on his boss’s face when he said it.

“And…. that was a  _bad_ thing….?”

Going to assume yes by that irritated groan. “I  _hated_ it.”

“Why…?”

This time it was Black Hat’s turn to look up to the ceiling as he thought, looking for some way to put it into words… “…. You know, Flug, when my kind are summoned, we can’t feel anything at all. No joy, no anger, no passion, nothing. All we have is the desire to fulfill the wants of whoever is our summoner at that time. It’s like an obsession _…_ An  _addiction_ , even _,_ but at the same time, not.”

“…….I can see why that would be unappealing……” Flug commented under his breath. “So then…. How did  _you_ manage to start feeling…? Or get away from a summoner, for that matter? Are there others like you?”

“Like  _me?_  No.” Black Hat answered immediately. With a long, drawn-out exhale, he explained, “I’m not…  _completely_ clear on why it happened. I’m assuming because I was summoned the most out of any other demon, something in my head just clicked, or… well, I don’t really know. What you need to understand that I had been created for  _evil_. It was always for the darkest, most malicious of intents, every single time. Years upon  _years_ of doing the worst of the worst actions. It’s what I  _knew_.” A cold, bitter laugh left him. “ _So imagine my surprise_  when one day, after  _all of that,_  I was summoned to do something  _good_. It set something off inside me - I was  _disgusted_ …. Then, I…  _realized_ I was disgusted. I was having an  _emotion_. It was almost too much to process at the time, really.” He chuckled. “Strange, the way the simplest of things can be overwhelming when experiencing it for the first time.”

 _Strange indeed_ , Flug thought to himself, hiding a smile.

“From then on, I only experienced more of these… 'feelings’. It was a whole new experience. I had known what emotions were, obviously, by observing them in others, but to have them  _myself_? I couldn’t get enough of it. But, the down side was, I began to grow frustrated with my situation.” With a wave of his hand, Black Hat conjured up little darts made of black energy, something to keep himself occupied physically. “That frustration quickly turned into anger.” He threw one at the wall. “Which turned into a pure loathing for those Geplestean  _things_ that thought they could use me like a tool and take all the credit for  _my_ work.” Another one. “I would not be used like my stupid ilk were being used. They, too, were inferior to me.” And a third. “I figured, why must  _I_ , the most powerful being on this whole bloody planet, be treated as less than all these inferior scum? And then it hit me.” A fourth dart broke right through the wall, leaving behind a sizzling hole. “I still couldn’t operate outside of the wishes of my  _summoners_. If only I got rid of  _them_ , I would be  _limitless_.”

Flug had been hanging on every word, fascinated. “But how did you do that? Surely one of them wouldn’t just  _ask_ you to kill them…" 

"Right you are, Flug! Quite the contrary, in fact!” Now playing with a dancing green flame in his hand, Black Hat went on, “Of course, the Geplesteans were very careful not to let my kind get anywhere close to killing one of their own summoners, because they feared what might happen. It seemed to be an unspoken rule among them to order their demons to protect their lives. It was always a main order that they were sure to give, every time. And I had noticed something in all my existence under these creatures…. When one of their summoners dies, the thing they summoned disappears alongside them, laying dormant until they’re called upon again. But that’s not the only case in which I’ve seen one disappear - there have been cases where the summoner’s stayed alive, but the creature has been rid of. This, I found out, happens as a result of ultimately failing orders. So, I deduced that, when a summoner dies, that means an order has been failed because they weren’t protected like they were supposed to be.”

“I knew what I had to do. It was a long shot, but if I could build up a reputation for being…"  _Shudder_ ” _'Nice’_ …. then I might be able to build up a trustworthy reputation among these creatures. It took a dreadfully long time - I watched generations live and die, taking note of all their behaviors, how they make friends, what makes them happy…“ He shuddered again at the thought. "It was revolting. But any shot at freedom, I would take. I didn’t care how long it took, how many psychological tricks I had to master,  _anything_ would be worth it in the end.” With a shrug, he figured it was time to wrap this up. "And it was. After countless,  _grueling_ years of keeping up that facade, I eventually met a summoner that didn’t make the life-protecting order. I don’t know if he was an idiot or just reckless, but he was my lucky break. I just had to follow his orders until he died.“ Grinning at Flug, he added, "You know what the best part was? His last order to me, _as a thanks for being such a dear **friend**_ , was to grant a wish of my own.  _So I ended him with my own claws, then destroyed their whole miserable planet._ ”

“Wow….” Flug breathed, amazed, “Weren’t you afraid of what might have happened to you…? If you had died  _yourself_ ….?”

“I  _told_ you, Flug, nothing about this was a matter of  _fear_.” Black Hat insisted, crossing his arms. “I’d rather have risked dying than never knowing if I could break those chains or not. And  _now_ look at me~” The demon winked, but then paused as he looked up thoughtfully. “Though, I  _felt like_ I was going to die the first time I went through that stupid sickness. I suppose I have  _that_  to deal with every once in a while now, but it’s a small price to pay.”

“I think I understand…." Flug nodded slowly. "That kind of a nightmare sort of makes sense now….”

“It was not one of fear.” Black Hat growled once more. “I had thought, for  _just_ a moment, that everything I had worked  _so hard for_  had been  _meaningless_. An  _illusion_. For that to have been the case….” His eyes narrowed, voice a low growl. “You would not be able to comprehend  _how furious I would have been._ " 

"Nobody could blame you.” Flug agreed, nestling in close. “Thank you for sharing all that with me…”

Flug seemed about to say something else, but was interrupted by a buzz in his pocket. Pulling out his phone, he checked his messages to see a text from Demencia. “Ah, geez…” He mumbled, “Forgot I promised Demencia I’d go with her to pick up her new knives.” He cast a side glance Black Hat’s way. “Should I tell her to wait a while, or-?”

“No no, go ahead.” Black Hat shooed him off, smirking. “The more sharp things in the house, the better.”

“Heh, alright. I’ll see you later, sir." He gave the eldritch a quick hug and another thanks, then headed on his way out the door.

"Don’t forget to change that bag, it’s all soggy now.” Black Hat called after him, chuckling. After Flug was gone, Black Hat strode back into his office, not returning to the paper he had been reading, but rather, reaching for the phone instead. He opened one of the lower drawers of his desk, rummaging around until he found Flug’s documents, flipping through them, then dialing up a number.

“Is this Eight-Point High School? I have some inquiries about a former student of yours…”

**~ ~ ~**

“Almost done, Flug.”

The doctor nodded in acknowledgement, hoping Black Hat didn’t notice how much he had to force himself not to squirm against the nylon ropes tying him down to the bed. Many intricate and, honestly, lovely knots bedecked his naked form.

“Flug?”

“Huh?” Pulled out of his thoughts, Flug realized he’d totally missed what Black Hat had said to him. “S-Sorry, what…?”

One eyebrow raised, Black eyed Flug with an expression the scientist couldn’t seem to read. “…I asked if this was too tight.” He repeated, lightly tugging on the last knot on Flug’s hands.

“Oh…!” Giving his arms a testy pull to make sure, Flug shook his head and smiled weakly. “N-no no, it’s fine.”

“Do you  _want_ to do this, Flug?”

Shifting slightly beneath the ropes, Flug gave a quick little nod of confirmation. Black Hat wasn’t convinced.

The demon knew that Flug’s always interested in exploring different approaches to sex, but he just didn’t seem as fine with  _this_  particular one as he let on. And as of late, he wasn’t sure how much he could rely on Flug to speak the  _truth_  in these cases… That might take a little getting used to for him….

Black Hat circled around to the edge of the bed, sitting next to Flug and holding eye contact. “Tell me the truth, dove. I won’t be upset.”

“…… I-I-I……” Turning his head away, he sighed. “…… I d-don’t want to do this….” Flug admitted softly, voice heavy with shame and avoiding Black Hat’s eyes. “I-I’m sorry…. I can’t do this right now……I’m sorry…..”

 _There_  we go. Was that so hard?

The demon leaned down to place a reassuring kiss on Flug’s bag. “I’m glad you told me.” He murmured to the other, tentacles slipping out of his back to untie all the knots.

“I-I’m sorry for wasting your time on that….” The scientist said sheepishly, “D-Do you want to t-try something else, or….?”

“No need.” Black Hat replied nonchalantly, draping his employee’s coat over him. “You’re probably tired as is. Go ahead and sleep, I’ll get these out of your way for you.” Just like that, the ropes were off the bed, Black Hat leaving him to his privacy.

Flug watched him go, quiet…

—

It couldn’t have been any more than an hour since he left Flug. He was just finishing his paper at last, starting to fold it up, when Flug had come into the office.

“Oh, Flug.” Black Hat glanced up to see the scientist approaching his desk, standing up out of his chair and circling around to greet him. “I thought you would be aslee-“

He was cut off when Flug yanked his tie, pushed up his own bag, and pulled Black Hat into a deep kiss, his tongue dancing around the demon’s mouth passionately.

“I love you,” Flug stated as their faces parted, eyes burning into Black Hat’s with a kind of fire that the demon wasn’t used to seeing.

Eyebrows raised up in pleasant surprise, a smile started to form on his face. “As I do you…” He said back, low purrs rumbling in his throat. He let himself get pushed back against the curtained windows of his office.

Flug pressed another kiss on Black’s mouth, body grinding eagerly against his. Movements swift and smooth, Flug reached around and effortlessly pulled off his boss’s coat, sliding a hand up beneath his shirt to feel his cool skin. The scientist’s next target was his pants, reaching down to undo them. Black hat started to reach down as well to assist, but Flug pulled it back with his free hand, pressing it against the curtains.

“My my…” Black Hat breathed between snogs, excitement escalating with each move his partner made, “Where is all this coming from?”

“Something wrong with claiming what’s mine?” Flug smirked mischievously, pulling the obstacle that was Black Hat’s pants out of his way.

 _Damn_. Black Hat’s  _really_  liking this confidence. Seriously,  _where_ does Flug hide it and more importantly,  _how can he bring it out more often?_

Flug got an aroused growl from the eldritch when he stroked along the base of the mass of tentacles between his legs, sucking on the skin of his neck and biting through, leaving small marks everywhere his mouth went, earning more pleased noises in response. Flug’s teeth were one of the few things that could cut through Black Hat’s flesh so easily, and  _hell_ , was it thrilling.

While Flug stimulated the rest of his body, Black Hat undid Flug’s jeans. No easy feat with one hand restrained and through all the movement, but he managed.

Pulling off his tie, Flug removed the shirt from Black Hat’s torso so he could admire that beautiful, deep gray frame, mouths and eyes swarming across the aroused demon’s body. “Fuck, you’re so beautiful…” His employee breathed huskily, smothering every inch of the newly-exposed skin with his tongue and teeth.

After getting Black Hat good and worked up, he pulled him over to the desk, pushing him down against it. Then,  _why then of all times_ , Flug hesitated. “So, uh, I know I’m not usually v-very good at this, b-but—”

“ _Flug, I fucking **swear** , I’m going to lose my fucking mind if you drop your confidence  **now**_.” Black Hat rasped, tentacles materializing around the doctor and pulling him closer.

“Oh…! O-Of course! Uh, sorry-!” At that, Flug wasted as little time as possible entering his partner, getting  _quite_  the garbled noise out of him. Glistening beads of sweat formed constellations all over the beautiful night sky that was his body, his claws carving deep marks into the desk they were clenched on.

By Black Hat’s orders, Flug quickened his pace, reaching down to give attention to those sensitive tentacles too. Minutes flew by like seconds, the growls and and snarls Flug was getting from his boss along with the clenching of his tight ass getting him very close.

_“Do it, Flug.”_

The desire to please that gravelly voice was more than enough to send Flug over the edge, the doctor’s cum filling Black Hat, that sensation in turn causing him to orgasm too, a series of his feral growls reverberating through the room.

Flug pulled out, the both of them panting, and plopped down into Black Hat’s chair. “… Sorry…” He huffed breathlessly, “I know I don’t usually-“

“ _Shut the fuck up.._.” Black hissed, wiping trails of drool from his mouth, “That was fucking  _splendid_ , you idiot…”

“Oh….Glad you enjoyed yourself, then…” The doctor laughed between breaths. After his moment of rest, he got out of the chair to get his boss’s clothing for him, wandering over to his side again. Black Hat took the clothes back, pulling the doctor into one last kiss. When they parted, they stared into each other’s mind with a mutual understanding of ‘ _Despite everything, I’m comfortable with you, and you’re comfortable with me._ ’

As much as they wished moments like these could last so much longer, they just had to get interrupted by Black Hat’s pesky phone.

“Hmm, you should probably get that,” Flug murmured, tone disappointed, but still giving him a smirk.

“Yes, I suppose I should…” Black Hat agreed, returning the grin. “And  _you_  should be going to bed. It’s  _far_  past your curfew.”

“ _Curfew_?” Flug scoffed, putting a hand on his chest dramatically. “ _Excuse you_ , I am an  _adult_.”

“An adult that’s going to collapse on one of your experiments one of these days if you keep that up! Shoo!”

“Pfft.  _Fiiine_.” His employee drawled, but in good humor.

Black Hat waved him out the door, closing it behind him, then went to answer that ringing phone.

“I take it you have the information I need?”

**~ ~ ~**

Bowler Crescent….

Millinery Street…

Panama Avenue…..

Ahh, Toque Street. This should be the place. 

If Black Hat’s sources were right (which they bloody well should be if they want to live another day), then Summer should be on her way home right about now. The eldritch pulled out his pocket watch as he leaned against the side of her house, one identical to all the others trailing down the suburban street.

9:07 PM. 

That should be enough time… Star Cluster will still be on his patrol for a few hours yet.

Black Hat slipped the watch back into his pocket when he heard lone footsteps approaching the house.

“Summer Owens, I presume.” He spoke up without revealing himself, startling the woman. Who  _wouldn't_ be startled at the sound of some random guy with a major smoker’s lung voice, not only one you can’t see but also that knows your name?

“Who’s there?” Summer called out, apprehensive. “I have pepper spray, so you better not  _try_ anything!”

 _Oh no, how terrifying. Guess I better call this whole thing off, then,_  Black Hat thought sarcastically to himself, rolling his eyes. “You could call me a friend of a friend,” is what he answered instead. His figure turned to smoke, slipping out from beside the house and over to her unnoticed.

When the demon suddenly materialized behind her, she gasped in shock, whipping around and starting to point the can of spray she had pulled out at Black Hat’s face, only to get her arm grabbed. She was a tall, slender woman with curly blonde hair, wearing a raven-black trench coat tailored to her size. When she realized who exactly it  _was_ in her proximity, her eyes shot wide open with fear and alarm. But before she could scream, a tentacle quickly wrapped around her mouth.

“No need to  _worry_.” Black said with a terribly patronizing tone and a bitter grin. "My business with you will make sense in due time.“

The woman’s frantic struggling against his grip was like a fly trying to escape a spider web. It was no bother to Black Hat. Whistling an ominous tune, he dragged her off, headed to another section of the city.

—

10:12 PM. We’re making good time.

Black Hat’s gaze flicked from his pocket watch to the tall, unkempt architectural structures surrounding the grungy streets, their only attractive quality being the creative and colorful graffiti plastered across the walls. Some people refer to this as the 'bad’ part of town. What a joke, honestly…

Turning to his captured victim, Black Hat smiled wide. "Well, my dear, here we are.” He released the tentacle from her face and stepped back. “I’ll give you a ten-second head start to run. Oh, and it would be in your best interest to  _scream_ really loud.”

Hell if she could actually register what he was saying through all the panic, she definitely still booked it the first chance she got, screeching for help from anybody that might hear her.

Ahh, good. That’ll do just fine.

Black Hat stared at his watch as it clicked down ten seconds, then slipped it into his pocket once more. “I do hope you provide a good chase.” He commented to himself before following after her, parts of his body beginning to morph.

-

The deafening pounding of Summer’s heart in her ears was overwhelming - she struggled to breathe as she ran, the shouting tiring out her lungs faster than usual, each breath a suffocating fight for oxygen.  _Then_ she made the  _grave_ mistake of looking back.

An abomination of tentacles, eyes, saws and bone chased after her, darting from side to side and smashing chunks off buildings as it passed them, catching up to her fast while making as much noise as possible.

She’s going to fucking die.

The woman screeched again when a tentacle snatched her leg, tripping her. Two more pinned her to the ground.

“You humans are so  _dreadfully_ slow. That wasn’t much of a chase at  _all_ …” Complained the supervillain, shifting back into a somewhat more humanoid shape himself. “And would you look at that, you haven’t even done what I brought you out here for. What  _terrible_ bait you make." The sudden loud whir of a circle saw coming out of his back broke through the air. "Perhaps you need a bit more prompting.”

“No,  _please_ -!”

“ _Stop right there._ ”

Ahhh, there we go.

Black Hat turned around to see a large, dark-haired muscular man wearing a suit that looked like staring into a nebula, bright spacey pinks, purples, and blues forming swirling clouds across his body. What was most notable about this hero, however, was the strange misty substance leaking out of his shoulder in a billowing smoky stream, not to mention those almost-completely pitch black eyes. He was… visually interesting, to say the least.

Before the hero could speak up again, Black Hat beat him to it. “And  _you_ must be Nimbus.” He growled. “Took you long enough to show yourself.”

A look of mild surprise crossed Star Cluster’s face for a moment. “Where did you hear my name? And what are your intentions with that girl?”

“Normally I wouldn’t indulge your ilk's stupid demanding questions with answers, but in  _this_ case…” Eyes narrowing, Black Hat withdrew the saw-like appendage, looking between the pair of them. “You see, you two have something  _special_ in common. Care to take a guess?”

Judging from how Summer was nothing but an unintelligible sobbing mess at this point, and Star Cluster didn’t look intent on making any guesses, looks like Black Hat would have to spell it out for the idiots.

“You both have had intimate relations with someone called  _Flug Slys_ , yes?”

“ _Flug?_ ” Summer repeated in confusion, but definitely recognized the name even if she hadn’t heard it for years, which was enough for Black Hat.

Star Cluster’s reaction, however, was much more hostile. He made a low snarling noise, clutching his shoulder. “ _Plane Crash_ … I have a score to settle with  _him_ …”

“ ** _Flug. Slys._** ” Black Hat corrected him, shooting back a snarl of his own that was much more hostile. “A name that you had better learn to refer to  _properly_  in the short existence you have left. But first…” With little to no warning, Black Hat suddenly hurled the civilian in his tentacles’s grip high in the air. “ _Catch_.”

Attention immediately taken by the endangered human, Star Cluster shot a hand up, aiming to catch her with his powers, only to have another of Black Hat’s tentacles shoot directly at him as he was distracted. The hero, too slow to react, was smashed into the nearest building, a sickening snap sounding in his spine and causing him to cry out in pain. Summer, of course, plummeted to the ground, with  _no_ chance of survival.

 _“As for **you** …” _Black Hat’s demonic voice rumbled, glaring at the whimpering, pathetic mess he had pinned,  _“As much as I would **relish**  inrearranging your insides, a certain scientist has a score to settle with  **you**.”_

With one hard punch, Black Hat knocked the hero right out, his body going limp in his grip. Shaking out his hand, he started on his way back to the manor... but paused.

Then looked around.

..... Strange.... For just a moment there, it almost felt as though he was being _watched_....

...... Well, even if he was, there was nothing out here that could dare stand a chance in attacking him, anyway. Probably just some terrified bystander cowering nearby, as usual.

Anyways. The demon had a package that needed delivering.

————

“Why are we going down here?” Flug asked, glancing around the lower floors of the manor in confusion. Usually the only times they come this far down is when Black Hat gets eldritch-sick.

“Comeuppance.” Black Hat answered, vague as ever. “You brought what I told you to, yes?”

“Sure, one of my lethal injection formulas, but what is this ab-?”

Black Hat abruptly stopped in front of a pair of doors Flug wasn’t sure if he’s been through before. The eldritch turned to face his scientist. “This may be a… bit of a shock to you.” Black started, “I was going to take care of this myself, but I figured you might want a say in this one’s fate. All things considered, this should be  _your_ kill.”

“My…?" 

When Black Hat led him through the first door, Flug’s jaw dropped at what he saw.

It looked like the viewing side of a two-way mirror interrogation room setup that you see in some of the higher end police stations. The sight of Star Cluster through the mirror sent a shudder through Flug’s body, even if he  _was_  completely tied up and looked unconscious and injured.

Once he got through the initial shock, Flug slowly turned to Black Hat. “H… How did you find him….?”

“Wasn’t too difficult. First I located Summer – took a bit of digging because your graduate class was many years ago, and I didn’t have a last name to work with – then I used her to lure out this one. These glitzy types aren’t very hard to track down.” Black Hat replied, gaze held firm on the hero. “When you’ve got a reputation like having half your soul ripped out, all you really have to do is ask around here and there to get a sense of their patrols.” When he turned to Flug, his expression softened. “Not to mention I tend to notice which parts of town you try to avoid.”

Flug gave a slow nod, processing that information slowly and carefully, then looked through the glass again, refamiliarizing himself with that face…

Shaking, he pulled the syringe Black Hat had him bring out of his pocket. “I think I’m going to enjoy this…” Flug murmured darkly.

-

“Rise and shine, clusterfuck.”

Star Cluster got a hard slap to the face by one of Black Hat’s tentacles, enough to shock him awake. He hissed in pain from the sudden movement, a stabbing pain licking up his damaged spine.

 _“What do you want?_ ” The hero hissed in a gruffy voice.

Black Hat stood tall, looking down on their captive. Wasting no words on him, he simply stepped aside, revealing the that was standing behind.

“ _Plane Cr_ —” A harsh growl from Black Hat cut Star Cluster off, and he lowered his voice, correcting himself. “…. Flug.”

“Nimbus.” The doctor replied coldly, giving the syringe in his hand a few light taps. “Still wasting your life away, I’m guessing?”

“Still on the wrong side of the law, I see.”

Flug wasn’t expecting to  _chuckle_  in this conversation, but there he goes. “At least I actually  _made_  something of myself. Besides, this is the  _fun_  side.”

At that, Star Cluster only snorted. He shot Black Hat a quick, disgusted glance. "So… what. You’re fucking  _this thing_  now?”

“I know, isn’t it  _surprising_? Who knew I could go from dating a zero like  _you_  right to a ten out of ten like him?” Flug shot back with zero hesitation, coming closer. He could hear Black Hat snicker under his breath, casting him a quick smirk before putting his full attention to his target again.

“The hell is  _that_.” The hero growled, eying the syringe in Flug’s hand carefully.

“ _Here_.” Flug hissed hatefully, goggles glinting as he leaned menacingly over Star Cluster. “ _Let me **show**  you._”

Plunging the needle into his neck, Star Cluster screamed in pain as the strange substance was slowly injected into him. It felt like all his nerves caught  _fire_.

“You know, Nimbus, I really  _wasn’t_  trying to kill you that day I had bit you.” The scientist hissed, watching whatever life that was left drain from the hero’s eyes. “But honestly?  _I wish that I_   _had_.”

Star Cluster thrashed against his binds, only making the pain worse by jostling his spine, screeching in agony in his last moments of life. The misty stream of life energy leaking from his shoulder faded into nothingness, and his movements slowed to a stop.

Flug remained still, staring at the dead body intensely.

“…. You  _get_ that killing everything that wrongs us doesn’t… fix what they  _did_ , right…?” Flug’s tired voice asked, hearing Black Hat come closer.

“Of course.” The demon answered back, taking one of Flug’s loose hands into his own. “Does that make it any less satisfying?”

“Ha…. I guess you got me there….”

Quiet, they stood there for some time, admiring their handiwork.

“…… I think I need to tell Demencia and 5.0.5. that I’m half souleater.” Flug said out of the blue.

“Wait, what?”

————-

“So what do you think, fives?” Demencia asked, holding her thumb out to admire the horrid paint job she splattered all over the poor Hatbot Flug was supposed to fix a while back. “More explosions? Or should I just dump another pail of green on ‘im?”

5.0.5. had already done his best to stop her, but only ended up many different shades of green, yellow, and pink in the struggle, and was now just slumped defeatedly on the floor of the lab. All the response he gave her was a disgruntled bear noise.

“Dem? Five?”

“Ooooo, I’ll get Flug’s opinion instead!” The lizard hybrid giggled upon hearing Flug’s voice nearing the lab. She bounded over to the doors, greeting both him and Black Hat with a big grin as they entered. “Helloooo~! How do you like my paint job?” She queried, gesturing grandly to the mess of a robot in the corner. “I made your lil’ guy look cooler, Flug!”

The both of them gave the poor thing a blank stare. Flug was almost reconsidering his decision already.

“Flug has something  _important_  to show you two, Demencia.” Black Hat deadpanned, unimpressed.

She gasped, grinning wider. “ _Your secret stash of plane dildos!”_

“…….. No.” Flug said flatly, regretting her as a human being, just in general. “Can you be serious for, like, two seconds? The only reason I’m doing this is because of something  _you_  told me…”

“Moi?” Demencia tilted her head questioningly. Curiosity alone got her to comply. “Okay.”

5.0.5.’s curiosity was piqued too, lumbering over to their side.

Flug took a deep breath, Black hat giving his hand a reassuring squeeze, and he reached for his bag, slowly pulling it and the goggles completely off his face.

The bear’s ears perked right up, looking almost alarmed that Flug could pull his own face off, and Demencia’s eyes shot wide open. “Woah…” She said.

“I-I’m half s-souleater…” Flug explained shakily, shuffling his feet a bit out of nervousness. “I f-figured I shouldn’t keep that a secret from you anymore, either…”

He forced himself not to wince back as Demencia bounced closer, staring right into his eyes with bewilderment. Flug squirmed very slightly under her intrusive gaze, worried of what she might think…

“Flug… Do you know what this means?”

“Uhh… What…?”

With an ecstatic, toothy grin, she pointed to her one yellow eye and winked. “ _It means we’re cool eye buddies!_ ”

_PHEW._

With a sigh of relief, Flug slipped the bag back on his face, giving them a shaky smile. “I was afraid you might freak out…”

“ _Pssssh!_  Is that all? Have you  _seen_  this household!?” Demencia scoffed, gesturing around to every single one of them, and 5.0.5. nuzzled his creator’s face with a happy grunt. “We’ve  _all_  got crazy genetics!”

..… She has a point.

Well, either way…. Flug’s just relieved that everything is finally off his chest… Not only that, but he’s learned a lot more about Black Hat in these recent months, too.

“Oh, by the way, I think that paint mucked up your Hatbot’s circuits.” Dem piped up, pointing at the little guy.

“ _What!?_   _Demencia_! I  _just_  fixed that!!!” When she darted down the hallways giggling, Flug pulled a ray gun out of his coat and chased after her, 5.0.5. and Black Hat watching them go. “ _Get back here!!!_ ”

“….. Well then.” Black Hat muttered, adjusting his coat, “Looks like things are still going to be running as smoothly as normally around here.”

“Speaking of….” The demon glared at the bear by his side covered in all that paint. “You’re cleaning this all up.”


End file.
